While there is no way to eliminate unethical issues in the workplace, management can take a proactive approach in hiring and managing to limit code of ethics violations. Getting to know your employees as human beings, understanding the ethics issues they may come across, positioning your company as ethical, hiring with qualities in mind, and continuous training are all ways to have integrity and ethics in the workplace.
Hire with Ethics in Mind
Interview questions will always give employers an opportunity to interact with a potential candidate, but don’t always demonstrate how they will be as an employee. In addition to questions that gauge their skills, ask questions to see if they align with company culture and ethics. Ask them about times they have had to demonstrate your unique company values as well as in an actual ethics situation.
Get to Know Your Employees
Oftentimes, once the interview and orientation are over, we have little interaction with new employees. Build processes that allow for more interaction with employees which will help managers to know them on a deeper level, such as team projects, social events, or even contests. Seeing what motivates employees will contribute in managing them better.
Understand Potential Ethics Issues
Listen to frontline staff, as well as managers, about concerns they see that could be challenging. Specifically ask for these issues to be raised, as part of your overall culture. One-to-one meetings are a good place to ask for this type of feedback. Be sure to create an environment that praises and not punishes truth-telling.
Position Your Company
Having values posted and enforced that demonstrate integrity, honesty, ethics, transparency…can help create a culture of ethics. A public face that promotes your values also positions your company as a leader in principles.
Continuous Training
As laws and political climates change, so must ethics training. Understanding diversity and being sensitive to it, communicating applicable laws, and clarifying expected behaviors both in and outside the workplace will go a long way in supporting company ethics. Ongoing and even specialized, systematic trainings should be part of your annual training plans.
Have you heard the expression: “birds of a feather flock together”? When you have positioned your company as having high integrity and hire, train, and create a culture that proves it, you can then attract more of that in employees, clients, and even vendor relationships.
If you are in search of brilliant employees, let Colorado Network Staffing (CNS) help you find your Right Fit. CNS is a leader in staffing, staff augmentation, and contract management by acting as a sole human resource provider for our clients. Don’t waste your time, energy, and money on a bad hire. CNS has the experience, resources, and top-level management expertise to accomplish the tasks required on any size project. Contact us at 303-430-1441, and we’ll find you the best and brightest team.
